Highlights

• China establishes new national testing standard for rare earth permanent magnet materials.
• Effective January 2026.
• The standard creates uniform benchmarks for resistivity testing.
• Potentially gives Chinese firms strategic market leverage.
• Represents a sophisticated industrial strategy to control technical specifications in the global rare earth supply chain.

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China has taken another strategic step to consolidate its dominance in the global rare earth supply chain. The China Rare Earth Institute, in collaboration with the National Institute of Metrology, has led the drafting of a new national testing standard for rare earth permanent magnet materials—specifically focusing on resistivity. The standard, GB/T 31967.3-2025, was officially released by China’s National Standardization Committee and will take effect in January 2026.

Why It Matters: Standardization as a Weapon of Industrial Strategy

Rare earth permanent magnets are the backbone of many advanced technologies—from EV motors and wind turbines to industrial robotics and consumer electronics. Despite China’s overwhelming control of rare earth mining and midstream processing, one persistent gap has been the lack of unified testing protocols—particularly for critical properties like electrical resistivity, which impacts energy efficiency and thermal management in magnet-equipped systems.

This new standard fills that void. By formally codifying resistivity testing methods—detailing principles, instrumentation, procedures, and environmental conditions—China ensures consistency across its domestic manufacturers. More importantly, it creates a uniform benchmark for product quality that can be used in both R&D and industrial quality control.

Implications for the West

The move signals China's push not just to dominate rare earth production, but also define the terms of the global market. If global OEMs adopt or are pressured to accept China’s resistivity standard as a default benchmark, Chinese firms gain leverage in supply qualification, performance comparisons, and IP enforcement. It also raises the bar for Western producers trying to compete on high-end applications without equivalent metrological infrastructure or standard-setting power.

Milestone for North Rare Earth and the Rare Earth Institute

The standard’s release also highlights the leadership of Northern Rare Earth Group, a state-owned giant and the world's leading producer of rare earth magnets. The Rare Earth Institute, China’s largest rare earth research and development body, has now participated in over 100 standards—including three international ones—cementing its role as both a scientific powerhouse and an industrial policymaker.

Bottom Line

This is not just a technical update—it’s a shot across the bow in the ongoing materials arms race. For U.S. and European firms investing in domestic magnet capacity, the message is clear: technical sovereignty will require more than just mining—it demands full-spectrum standard-setting capability.

Source: 中国稀土院 via multiple state media releases, July 2025.